OBJECTIVE To investigate the improvement effects and mechanism of astragaloside Ⅳ （AS- Ⅳ ） on lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-induced neuroinflammation. METHODS BV2 cells were divided into control group， LPS group， AS-Ⅳ groups at concentrations of 20 and 40 μmol/L， and dexamethasone group （2 μmol/L）. Except for control group， neuroinflammation model was established with LPS （1 μg/mL） in other groups after medication. The levels of inflammatory factors [interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， and nitric oxide （NO）] in cell supernatant were measured in each group. Mice were randomly divided into normal group， model group， positive control group （Aspirin enteric-coated tablet， 20 mg/kg）， AS-Ⅳ low- and high-dose groups （10， 20 mg/kg）， with 6 mice in each group. Mice in each group were administered the corresponding drug/normal saline via gavage/intraperitoneal injection， once a day， for 14 consecutive days. Except for normal group， other groups were intraperitoneally injected with LPS （250 μg/kg） 1 hour after daily administration of the drug/normal saline to establish neuroinflammation model. Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were measured 2 h after the last medication； histopathological morphology of cerebral tissue in mice were observed； the co-localization of inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS）/ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 （Iba1） and CD206/Iba1 in the cerebral cortex region of mice was observed； the expressions of proteins related to the nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）/mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway in brain tissue of mice were also determined， including NF-κB p65， phosphorylated NF-κB p65（p-NF-κB p65）， p38 MAPK， phosphorylated p38 MAPK （p-p38 MAPK）， extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK）， and phosphorylated ERK （p-ERK）. RESULTS In the cell experiments， compared with control group， the levels of IL-6， TNF- α and NO in the cell supernatant of the LPS group were increased significantly （P＜0.05）； compared with LPS group， the levels of IL-6， TNF-α and NO were decreased significantly in the administration groups （P＜0.05）. In the animal experiments， compared with the normal group， the serum levels of IL-6 and TNF- α， the number of iNOS/Iba1 co-localization positive cells in the cerebral cortex， and the phosphorylation levels of p38 MAPK， NF- κB p65 and ERK proteins in brain tissue were all significantly increased/elevated in model group （P＜0.05）； the number of CD206/ Iba1 co-localization positive cells in the cerebral cortex region significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. The neurons in the cerebral cortex and the CA3 region of the hippocampus displayed a disordered arrangement. Compared with model group， above quantitative indexes of mice were all reversed significantly in administration groups （P＜0.05）； the neuronal cells in the cerebral cortex and the CA3 region of the hippocampus exhibited a relatively orderly arrangement. CONCLUSIONS AS-Ⅳ may inhibit the activation of the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway， promote the M2-type polarization of microglia， and thereby suppress neuroinflammatory responses.

Objective: To understand the distribution characteristics of high-risk populations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among residents aged ≥40 years in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, so as to provide a basis for comprehensive prevention and control of COPD. Methods: A multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method combined with probability proportional to size sampling was used to select residents aged ≥40 years from May to December 2019 in 4 monitoring sites in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region for a questionnaire survey. Information on demographics, current or past smoking, severe respiratory infections in childhood, exposure to occupational harmful factors, exposure to indoor polluting fuels, chronic respiratory symptoms, personal history of chronic respiratory diseases, and family history of chronic respiratory diseases was collected. The distribution characteristics of high risk populations of COPD and high-risk factors were analyzed. Results: A total of 2 302 people were surveyed, including 1 234 males (53.61%) and 1 068 females (46.39%). The mean age was (57.87±8.67) years. A total of 2 114 people (91.83%) were exposed to at least one high-risk factor. The exposure rate of risk factors was 87.88%. There were significant differences in the exposure rates of risk factors among residents of different genders, ages, residence, and occupations (all P<0.05). The exposure rate was higher in males than in females, higher in the 50-60 years than in the 60-<70 years, higher in rural areas than in urban areas, and higher among those engaged in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fishery, and water conservancy than among national enterprise clerks, professional and technical personnel, and retirees (all P<0.05). The prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms was 14.73%. There were significant differences in the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms among residents of different residence and occupations (all P<0.05). The prevalence was higher in rural areas than in urban areas, and higher among those engaged in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fishery, and water conservancy than among retirees (all P<0.05). The exposure rate of personal history of chronic respiratory diseases was 10.90%. There were significant differences in the exposure rate of personal history of chronic respiratory diseases among residents of different educational levels, residence, and occupations (all P<0.05). The exposure rate was higher among those with primary education or below and junior high school education than among those with high school education or above, higher in rural areas than in urban areas, and higher among those engaged in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fishery, and water conservancy than among retirees (all P<0.05). The exposure rate of family history of chronic respiratory diseases was 22.85%. The exposure rate was higher in rural areas than in urban areas (P<0.05). Among residents exposed to risk factors, the exposure rate of current or past smoking was 38.84%, the exposure rate of severe respiratory infections in childhood was 2.13%, the exposure rate of occupational harmful factors was 44.27%, and the exposure rate of indoor polluting fuels was 60.12%. The exposure rates of current or past smoking and occupational harmful factors were higher in males and rural residents (all P<0.05). Conclusions The proportion of high-risk populations for COPD among residents aged ≥40 years in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is relatively high. It is recommended to strengthen health education for male residents, rural residents, and those engaged in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fishery, and water conservancy, and to adopt comprehensive prevention and control strategies to reduce the exposure level of risk factors among residents.

Flexible conductive fibers have been widely applied in wearable flexible sensing. However, exposed wearable flexible sensors based on liquid metal (LM) are prone to abrasion and significant conductivity degradation. This study presented a high-sensitivity LM conductive fiber with integration of strain sensing, electrical heating, and thermochromic capabilities, which was fabricated by coating eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) onto spandex fibers modified with waterborne polyurethane (WPU), followed by thermal curing to form a protective polyurethane sheath. This fiber, designated as Spandex/WPU/EGaIn/Polyurethane (SWEP), exhibits a four-layer coaxial structure: spandex core, WPU modification layer, LM conductive layer, and polyurethane protective sheath. The SWEP fiber had a diameter of (458.3 ± 10.4) μm, linear density of (2.37 ± 0.15) g/m, and uniform EGaIn coating. The fiber had excellent conductivity with an average value of (3 716.9 ± 594.2) S/m. The strain sensing performance was particularly noteworthy. A 5 cm × 5 cm woven fabric was fabricated using polyester warp yarns and SWEP weft yarns. The fabric exhibited satisfactory moisture permeability [(536.06 ± 33.15) g/(m ²·h)] and maintained stable thermochromic performance after repeated heating cycles. This advanced conductive fiber development is expected to significantly promote LM applications in wearable electronics and smart textile systems.
Wearable Electronic Devices ; Polyurethanes/chemistry* ; Electric Conductivity ; Gallium/chemistry* ; Metals/chemistry*

OBJECTIVES: To explore the bioactive components in Jiawei Xiaoyao Pills (JWXYP) and their mechanisms for alleviating depression-like behaviors. METHODS: The active compounds, key targets, and pathways of JWXYP were identified using TCMSP and TCMIP databases. Thirty-six SD rats were randomized equally into 6 groups including a control group and 5 chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depression groups. After modeling, the 5 model groups were treated with daily gavage of normal saline, 1.8 mg/kg fluoxetine hydrochloride (positive control drug), or JWXYP at 1.44, 2.88, and 4.32 g/kg. The depression-like behaviors of the rats were evaluated using behavioral tests, and pathological changes in the liver and hippocampus were examined with HE staining. The biochemical indicators in the serum and brain tissues were detected using ELISA. Serum metabolomics analysis was performed to identify the differential metabolites using OPLS-DA, and gut microbiota changes were analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing. RESULTS: Network pharmacology revealed that menthone and paeonol in JWXYP were capable of penetrating the blood-brain barrier to regulate inflammatory pathways and protect the nervous system. In the rat models subjected to CUMS, treatment with JWXYP significantly improved body weight loss, sucrose preference and open field activities, reduced liver inflammation, alleviated structural changes in the hippocampal neurons, decreased serum levels of TNF‑α, IL-1β, IL-6 and LBP, and increased 5-HT and VIP concentrations in the serum and brain tissue, and these effects were the most pronounced in the high-dose group. Metabolomics analysis showed changes in such metabolites as indole-3-acetamide and acetyl-L-carnitine in JWXYP-treated rats, involving the pathways for bile acid biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism. 16S rDNA analysis demonstrated increased gut microbiota diversity and increased abundance of Lactobacillus species in JWXYP-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS JWXYP alleviates depression-like symptoms in rats by regulating the neurotransmitters, inhibiting inflammation and oxidation, and modulating gut microbiota.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Depression/drug therapy* ; Neurotransmitter Agents/metabolism* ; Rats ; Inflammation ; Male ; Hippocampus ; Behavior, Animal/drug effects*

Dysfunction of nuclear receptors(NRs),which are critical for maintaining renal lipid homeostasis,largely contributes to the progression of diabetic nephropathy(DN)by promoting renal lipid accumulation.However,there are few thera-pies in modern medicine that effectively inhibit re-nal lipid accumulation by modulating NRs.In this review,we first summarize recent advances in NRs-mediated renal lipid accumulation in DN.Then,we summarize recent studies on the effects and mech-anisms of Chinese herbal medicines on DN and highlight the effects of Chinese herbal medicines on renal lipid accumulation via NRs.In addition,the advantages and limitations of traditional Chi-nese medicine in the treatment of DN via NRs-me-diated renal lipid accumulation are analyzed,and the modulation of renal lipid accumulation via NRs is emphasized as a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of DN.

Objective:To analyze the clinical data of one patient with inguinal seminoma and testicular seminoma,and to provide the references for the diagnosis and treatment of such patients.Methods:The clinical data,imaging features,pathological manifestations,diagnosis,and treatment methods of one patient with primary inguinal seminoma were collected and the relevant literatures were reviewed.Results:The patient,a 43-year-old male,was admitted to hospital due to the incidental discovery of a left inguinal mass.The specialized examination results showed a mass with relatively clear boundary,rough surface,palpable nodules,local fluctuation,limited mobility and no epidermal ulceration.The skin temperature was slightly elevated.The morphology and size of both testes were normal with no tenderness.The auxiliary examination results showed that alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)level was 2.3 mg·L-1,beta-human chorionic gonadotropin(HCG)<0.1 IU·L-1,and the lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)level was 254.31 IU·L-1.The results of liver function,renal function,blood routine,and coagulation routine of the patient were all normal.The results of chest CT,ECG,cardiac ultrasound,liver-gallbladder-spleen-pancreas ultrasound,and retroperitoneal ultrasound showed no abnormalities.The preoperative biopsy pathology from the oncology department suggested seminoma.After comprehensive clinical analysis,it was decided to perform the inguinal mass excision and inguinal lymph node dissection.The postoperative pathology was consistent with the preoperative findings,confirming that seminoma with inguinal lymph node metastasis.The follow-up results at 1,3,6,and 8 months after operation showed the patient recovered well,and there were no discomfort and capable of light physical activities.The condition remained stable without progression,and the patient had undergone three sessions of radiochemotherapy in the Oncology Department.Conclusion:Primary inguinal seminoma has a high cure rate,generally low malignancy,sensitivity to radiotherapy and chemotherapy,and relatively good prognosis.

Improving the reproducibility of biomedical research results is a major challenge. Transparent and accurate reporting of the research process enables readers to evaluate the reliability of the research results and further explore the experiment by repeating it or building upon its findings. The ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines, released in 2019 by the UK National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), provide a checklist that is applicable to any in vivo animal research report. These guidelines aim to improve the standardization of experimental design, implementation, and reporting, as well as enhance the reliability, repeatability, and clinical translation of animal experimental results. The use of the ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines not only enriches the details of animal experimental research reports, ensuring that information on animal experimental results is fully evaluated and utilized, but also enables readers to understand the content expressed by the author accurately and clearly, promoting the transparency and completeness of the fundamental research review process. At present, the ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines have been widely adopted by international biomedical journals. This article is based on the best practices following the ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines in international journals, and it interprets, explains, and elaborates in Chinese the fifth part of the comprehensive version of the ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines published in PLoS Biology in 2020 (the original text can be found at https://arriveguidelines.org). This section includes the items 6-11 of Recommended 11 section, covering "Animal Care and Monitoring", "Interpretation/Scientific Implications", "Generalisability/Translation", "Protocol Registration", "Data Access" and "Declaration of Interests". Its aim is to promote a comprehensive understanding and use of the ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines among domestic researchers, to enhance the standardization of experimental animal research and reporting, and to promote high-quality development of experimental animal sciences and comparative medicine research in China.

Objective To investigate the current situation and health effects of indoor microbial pollution in Xi'an, to analyze the purification effect of air purifiers on indoor microbial pollution, and to provide reference for improving the indoor environment. Methods Through stratified random sampling, 20 families from rural areas and 20 families from upwind and downwind urban areas respectively were selected from Xi'an. Data was collected by questionnaire surveys and on-site environmental sampling. Non-parametric analysis and correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results Overall, the standard-exceeding rate of total count of bacteria was 5.00%. The medians of the total count of bacteria and fungi were 312.50 cfu/m3 and 260.00 cfu/m³, respectively. In terms of health effects, the correlation between rhinitis and cold with total bacterial count was statistically significant (P<0.05), with the correlation coefficients of 0.182 and 0.223, respectively. Purification effect of air purifiers on microbial pollution was statistically significant (P<0.05). After opening for 2 hours, the total numbers of bacteria and fungi decreased significantly. Conclusion The occurrence risk of colds and rhinitis is increased by indoor microbial pollution. Air purifiers have a certain effect on decreasing the total number of bacteria and fungi. It is recommended to use air purifiers with high CADR of particulate matter, double-layer filter and sterilization and dehumidification function, and replace the filters regularly to reduce indoor microbiological contamination.

ObjectiveMyelodysplastic syndromes （MDS） is a group of clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders，and this study aims to investigate the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α（HIF-1α） in the bone marrow cells of patients with MDS and its correlation with the clinical features of MDS，the therapeutic efficacy of arsenic-containing Chineseherbal compound，and the survival prognosis. MethodAccording to the inclusion and exclusion criteria，27 MDS patients treated with arsenic-containing Chinese herbal compound in the Department of Hematology，Xiyuan Hospital，China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from January 2022 to September 2022 were included，and their bone marrow samples were collected by myelotomy. HIF-1α expression level in bone marrow cells was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction （PCR） to analyze its correlation with clinical features，and logistic and Cox regression was used to analyze the risk factors affecting the efficacy and prognostic survival of MDS patients. ResultThe HIF-1α mRNA expression level was lower in bone marrow cells of MDS patients than in healthy subjects. HIF-1α was positively correlated with the degree of myelodysplasia（r=0.384，P<0.05） and bone marrow granulocytic system%（G%）（r=0.560，P<0.01）. Logistic regression showed that HIF-1α was a risk factor for the prognosis in the follow-up of the efficacy of treatment（P<0.05）and Cox regression showed that HIF-1α was an independent factor affecting the survival prognosis of MDS patients ［odds ratio（OR）=398.968，95% confidence interval（CI）（1.281，116 858.743），P<0.05］. ConclusionThe level of HIF-1α expression in bone marrow cells of MDS patients was closely related to the degree of clinical myelodysplasia and G%，and HIF-1α was a risk factor for the efficacy for and survival prognosis of MDS patients.

Objective Utilizing a specially engineered miR-144-GFP-H1 human embryonic stem cell(hESC)reporter line,this study leverages GFP fluorescence as an indicator of miR-144 expression to gauge the progression of erythropoiesis.The investigation is aimed at elucidating the potential roles of lncRNAs within the erythropoietic framework and conducting an initial assessment of their functional impact.Methods The miR-144/451-GFP-H1 cell line(hereafter referred to as 144-H1)was utilized for in vitro erythrocyte induction culture.The subpopulations of cells entering the erythropoiesis stage were characterized by the surface molecules CD71 and GPA.The GFP reporter gene of miR-144 served as a critical determi-nant to distinguish between GFP-positive cells(with a high propensity for erythropoiesis)and GFP-negative cells(with a low propensity for erythropoiesis).Transcriptome sequencing was performed on both groups to identify differentially ex-pressed long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs).LncRNA entries with potential for validation were selected for preliminary func-tional verification.The CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technique was employed to design functional interference strategies for the targeted lncRNAs,obtaining 144-H1 cell lines with knocked-out function of the specific lncRNAs.These knockout cell lines,along with non-knockout 144-H1 cell lines,were used for parallel erythrocyte induction culture to identify differential nodes.This approach preliminarily verified their impact on erythropoiesis in an in vitro development model.Results 1)The constructed 144-H1 cell line was capable of expressing GFP fluorescence upon entering the stage of in vitro erythrocyte in-duction,indicating the activation of miR-144/451.2)Within the CD71,GPA double-positive group,significant differences in lncRNA expression were observed between the GFP-positive and GFP-negative subpopulations.3)Gene editing strategies involving the deletion of sequence segments capable of effectively interfering with the function of multiple lncRNA entries were designed and verified for successful editing.In the knockout cell lines,parts of the lncRNA sequences were directly de-leted.4)In parallel validation experiments of erythrocyte induction culture,cell lines with LINC01569 knocked out exhibited significant differences in flow cytometric subpopulations and cell proliferation capabilities compared to the non-knockout cell lines:①The knockout cell lines showed sustained high expression of GFP fluorescence.②The proportion of the CD71-GPA double-positive group in the knockout cell lines continuously decreased during erythrocyte maturation.③No significant ex-pression of hemoglobin was observed in the knockout cell lines,lacking the characteristic red color.④The cell proliferation capability of the knockout cell lines was significantly lower than that of the non-knockout cell lines(P＜0.05).Conclusion The successful employment of the 144-H1 cell line facilitated an exploration into the potential functions of lncRNAs in e-rythropoiesis.This enables the design of more refined in vitro developmental experiments to enhance the precision in captu-ring lncRNA functions.Among the differentially expressed lncRNA entries,LINC01569 was preliminarily validated to play a regulatory role in erythropoiesis.The functional absence of LINC01569 severely impacts the normal differentiation and prolif-eration of erythrocytes.The specific regulatory mechanism of LINC01569 in erythropoiesis warrants further investigation and research.